Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 UTPB softball kicked off its six games in three day weekend in Las Vegas, Nev., Friday night, falling 16-3 against New Mexico Highlands and suffering an 11-7 defeat against University of Mary in the team's opening games at the 2015 Desert Stinger.

The Falcons strugged to keep both opponents off the scoreboard the second time through the batting order as Highlands scored six runs in the top of the third and Mary started off with an eight-run top of the third inning in game two. Both big innings were the first runs of each game.

Irene Valdez scored the first UTPB run of the day in the bottom of the third against New Mexico Highlands. She tripled to left center with one out and scored on a Mallory Hall fielder's choice in the next at bat.

JJ Von Oesen added a pair or runs for the Falcons, driving in Hall on a two-run home run to left field in the bottom of the fifth.

Trailing 10-2 through four and a half against Mary later in the night, the Falcons put together a five-inning bottom of the fifth to climb back into the game and trail by three. Von Oesen drove Valdez home from second on a one out double into center field. Niki DiSera later drew a bases-loaded walk, and all three baserunners later scored as a result of a pair of wild pitches to pull the score to 10-7.

Mary scored the last remaining run of the game in the top of the seventh to hand the Falcons a four-run loss.

Von Oesen earlier hit her second home run of the day, another two-run bomb to center field to score Hall. She led the Falcons across the board on offense Friday, ending the two contests with three hits, three runs, five RBI and a pair of home runs.

UTPB is back in action in Sin City Saturday, taking on Black Hills State at 4 p.m. and Eastern New Mexico immediately following at 6:30 p.m.